I am just finishing my sophomore year. I took two different diagnostic tests - no prep at all - went in cold. I scored a 33 on the ACT – but didn’t have time to finish two of the sections (math and reading). I assume with prep, I will get better at the timing aspect. My scores were 35 Science, 34 Reading, 32 English, 30 Math.
The SAT I scored a 1350 (680 Reading, 670 Math). I definitely found the questions harder on SAT but the timing was not an issue as on ACT.
Which do you think that I should prepare for/take? ACT or SAT? How much do scores typically increase with tutoring?
Your ACT score is markedly higher than the SAT. A 33 ACT correlates to around a 1500 SAT.
With practice you will likely be able to finish the math section on the ACT and that may boost the score even more.
Right now the 30 math score is slightly better than the 670
Thanks. The place where I took diagnostic ACT gave us 10 extra minutes after time was up and let us keep working. My math score went up to a 34 with the 10 minutes so I’m hoping with practice I will complete faster. There is such a big difference between SAT and ACT, I wonder if that is common or maybe the ACT score was a fluke?!
You may focus on one test. However, you may want to prep for PSAT/SAT anyway. PSAT may potentially get you NMSF status which give you a lot more scholarship opportunities. Although it appears your ACT practice score is better, you may want to try a couple more times to see if it is consistently the case.
I would focus on the ACT considering your score is much higher than the SAT. It does seem a little bit strange how big the difference is; however, I’m probably biased since my scores on both tests ended up being equivalent.
Anyway, I think you could bring your math score up pretty easily. Once you score higher than a 26 or so on a section the only thing coming between you and a much higher score is practice.
I recommend to just keep doing practice tests. However, don’t just grade them and put them aside. Analyze why you got the questions wrong. I recommend (if you’re using a practice book with worked out solutions) that after you grade your test DO NOT look at the worked out solutions immediately. Go back and try to do the questions you got wrong again. Looking at the question a second time may help you find a different strategy you didn’t see before. In my opinion, you’ll remember skills much better if you figure it out on your own instead of just reading an explanation and shrugging saying “yeah okay makes sense”.
Sidenote: English you can bring up to a 36 easily. I got a 36 on that section my first time due to the fact I probably took 10 full practice English sections. When it comes to that section, there are only so many ways to ask a question. If you do enough of them, you’ll have it in the bag.
Good Luck 
Agree with @wisteria100 .